Polyphenols represent a highly abundant group of plant-derived natural compounds, characterized by remarkable structural diversity and potent antioxidant activity. Based on their chemical structures, polyphenols are broadly categorized into flavonoids, phenolic acids, stilbenes, tannins and lignans. Among these polyphenolic groups, tannins stand out for their large and complex polyphenolic frameworks and strong metal-chelating abilities. Tannic acid, a well-known hydrolyzable tannin, is one of the most extensively utilized polyphenols because of its dense phenolic composition, strong metal-chelating ability and capacity to form diverse non-covalent interactions. This review highlights recent advancements and applications of tannic acid-based micro- and nano-formulations, with particular emphasis on their roles in emulsion stabilization, enhancement of UV-barrier properties and food safety sensor applications.

We have discovered that water-insoluble proteins (IM) isolated from whole soy meal (WM) have the capacity to improve the thermal stability of polypropylene (PP) wood composites without negatively impacting mechanical properties. We compared an undiluted composite to composites diluted with 5% by weight of a 3/1 w/w mixture of stearic acid and paraffin wax (SA/wax), 5% by weight IM, 5% by weight WM, 5% by weight of a 50/50 w/w mixture of IM in combination with SA/wax, and 5% by weight WM in combination with SA/wax. Water contact angle (CA) measurements and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) revealed a synergy between IM and SA/wax, resulting in enhanced surface hydro - phobicity. Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) showed lower weight loss in composites made with IM up to the onset of the degradation of PP, and reduced rates of lignin degradation, independently of the presence of SA/wax. Dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA) revealed higher modulus and lower viscoelastic loss resulting from the removal of water-soluble soy components from WM. Total reflectance ultraviolet spectroscopy (UV) showed that IM absorbs UV radiation strongly in the UV-B and UV-C regions. Collectively, these findings suggest that IM has the potential to become a multi-purpose additive for use in PP wood composites.

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Polymer composites are widely used in indoor and outdoor applications owing to their high strength-to-weight ratio, corrosion resistance, and design flexibility. However, exposure to environmental factors such as ultraviolet (UV) radiation, humidity, temperature fluctuations, and biological agents significantly affect their long-term durability and performance. In this review, we comprehensively examine the degradation mechanisms of polymer composites under both natural and accelerated weathering, with particular emphasis on degradation mechanisms, characterization techniques, and durability assessment. We critically discuss the fundamental degradation mechanisms, including photo-oxidation, hydrolysis, polymer chain scission, crosslinking and interfacial debonding. We also evaluated accelerated weathering techniques, conducted under standardized testing conditions, for their ability to simulate long-term outdoor exposure within significantly shorter timeframes, by controlling key environmental parameters such as UV radiation, humidity, and temperature. We also examine the influence of reinforcements, including natural fibres, synthetic fibres, and nanofillers, on the weathering resistance of polymer composites. Attention is given to natural fibre–reinforced composites because their inherent hydrophilicity promotes moisture absorption, accelerating degradation and weakening the fibre–matrix interface. Furthermore, we critically evaluate the effects of weathering on the mechanical properties, crystalline structure and barrier performance of polymer composite films, and discuss recent advances in enhancing weather resistance through hybridization, surface modification, and the incorporation of stabilizing additives. Finally, the review highlights the key challenges and future research directions for the development of durable, high-performance, and sustainable polymer composite systems for long-term outdoor applications.

In this work, oil-absorbing cellulose aerogel was fabricated from balsa wood waste, aiming to enhance the valueadded utilization of biomass waste. Cellulose was extracted using a simple treatment and subsequently formed into aerogel through a freeze-drying process. The material was reinforced with polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) and modified using a polydimethylsiloxane/n-hexane system to improve mechanical strength and hydrophobicity. Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction (XRD) results confirmed effective removal of hemicellulose and lignin, resulting in a crystallinity index of 82.18%. The obtained materials exhibited a porous structure with a specific surface area of 15.28 m²/g and a pore volume of 0.034 cm³/g, as determined by Brunauer–Emmett–Teller (BET) analysis. Mechanical testing demonstrated that PVA reinforcement significantly enhanced the compressive strength compared to non-reinforced materials. Contact angle result revealed pronounced hydrophobicity of modified aerogel, with water contact angles ranging from 150° to 154° after modification. Oil absorption tests showed that the aerogel achieved a high oil uptake capacity of 1.67±0.26 g/g. Owing to its reasonable oil absorption performance, enhanced mechanical properties, and inherent biodegradability, this aerogel exhibits strong potential as an environmentally friendly sorbent for oil spill remediation and sustainable utilization of balsa wood waste.